Many of us are conditioned to think that merging or being acquired is a sign of institutional failure but there are noticeable exceptions.

Handled with care and intention, a presidential transition can do more than fill a vacancy—it can galvanize the institution.

New College of Florida, a small public liberal arts school, said it would agree to a set of White House conditions in exchange for federal funding preferences, becoming the first institution to say it would sign on.

The third-ranked university plans to transition its full fleet of campus vehicles—including buses—to renewable energy by 2030.